Sign fabricating stencil



1950 E. H. SCHLEIF 2,520,567

SIGN FABRICATING STENCIL Filed Nov. 13, 1947 Fig. Fig. 2.

Edwin H. Sch/eff IN VEN TOR.

Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,520,567 SIGN FABRI-CATING STENCIL Edwin Schleif, Inwood, N. Y. Application November 13, 1947, Serial No. 785,78l

. 2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to special media to assist unskilled hands in systematically fabricating signs, particularly permanent signs for both in-doors and out-of-doors use; that is, signs displaying completewords, explanatory sentences and suitable messages.

Under ordinary circumstances, when one decides to put up a sign to convey a public message, particularly a message on a so-called sign board, it is almost compulsory .tocall in a specialist or a sign painter to take care of the job in a skillful and clean-cut manner. In many cases, however, the sign is to be used but for a short time and the user may not want to go to the expense or trouble or Wait for the specialist to come on the job and take care of the task. Because of the foregoing and many other conditions attending the obtaining skillful services, I have evolved and produced special media or equipment such as may be bought in drug stores, ten cent stores or the like by almost any individual and then used in a reliable manner to paint or otherwise fabricate a sign. 7

In carrying out the invention I contemplate the provision of a laminated device which comprises a central lamination constituting a stencil and having a puncturable cut-out letter or other symbol embodied therein, there being a backing ply of readily detachable gauze or the like, and a covering for the main face or surface of the stencil, said covering being of readily detachable sections such as may be conveniently grasped and peeled off.

Another object of the invention is to provide a laminated letter equipped stencil of the aforementioned type with the peelable covering and the detachable gauze backing, suitably identified lines being provided for gage purposes to assist the proper matching and spacing of the stated stencils,

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawing.

In the drawing, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a view showing the gauze patch which is applied as a removable backing to the completed letter equipped stencil illustrated in Figure 4;

Figure 2 is what may be called a face or plan view of the stencil with the p-un-cturable or removable letter or other symbol embodied therein;

Figure 3 is a view of the stencil showing the protective covering for the base thereof, one part ,or section of the covering being peeled back, to

start its removal;

Figure 4 is an edge view of the structure seen in Figure 3; V

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing a foundation or sign board with several of the letters assembled and glued in .place for purposes of building up the sign on said board;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary View based on Figure 5 and on a smaller scale and showing another mode of assembling letters for the purposes of building a sign.

Reference is had first to Figure 4 wherein it will be seen, as before stated, that the sign building unit is a laminated structure and that the middle or main plyis denoted by the numeral 8. This is a letter equippedstencil. It is a rectangular sheet or piece of paper, cloth or whatever may best serve the required purposes. Referring now to Figure 2 it will be seen that the primary area of the part 8,.Which may be best described as a letter equipped stencil, is denoted by the numeral 9 and in this field, properly centered, is a letter, numeral or other equivalent symbol l9. In the drawings I have shown a capital letter but it is obvious that this may represent any other symbol used for making up numbers, letters, Words, etc. The letter is scored around its marginal edges at the points i0 and is therefore readily severable and puncturable. Thus, it is in effect a cut-out letter. I stress the fact that the parts 9 and If) are severable and separately usable since different users have found both methods of use practical. The right hand end portion of the stencil is provided with spaced parallel spacing lines l2 and these are provided with alphabetical letters or consecutive ordinals to readily identify them and permit them to be conveniently used as spacing guides.

Usually the entire rear surface, the surface which is to be attached, of the stencil is gummed or provided with an equivalent adhesive so that said adhesive surface may be attached to the sign board or other foundation l3 (see Figures 5 and 6). The bacle'ng element M of Figure 1 therefore comes into play, this being a waxed sheet of auze l5 and being stuck to the rear attachable side of the stencil, in an obvious manner. Said gauze is adapted to be stripped off when it is desired to expose the gum surface for anchorage.

Attention comes now to the covering for the main surface or face of the stencil 8. This covering is made up of two sections of sheet material, a primary section is and a secondary section H, the two having detachable mounting on the face of the stencil.

These sectionslii and I l are lightly glued t0 t e 216 1 and are intended to be removed therefrom without defacing said stencil. The meeting edges overlap at the central portion and are progressively grasped and removed. The removing is done from the center of the structure and one corner is peeled back as at [8 and is peeled or stripped off in a somewhat diagonal sweeping manner. After the section I6 is peeled off then the section I! is likewise eeled off- ThetWo sections are-provided with complemental linesw hi'ch define lettered guide lines I20. which correspond with the guide lines !2. In addition the sections 16 and Il have a letter printed thereon as at I00. Which corresponds with the letter HJ-"already'described. It follows therefore that the. markings on the section of cover correspond precisely with the markings on the stencil itself.

The letters or cut-outs could be stamped through the main stencil or frame; or they may be completely punched out but held in place by the sectionsof the protective cover. What is more the letters may be mounted by score lines and loosened and pushed out in an obvious manner. Letters in articles andv units like this are sometimes called knockouts and in other instances are known as cut-outs. Sometimes the 'part'which is left after-the knock-out is removed is referred to asthe stencil and in other-instances as a frame. I desire both aspects to be taken ,into consideration. when construing the claims. 7 The method available herein for making signs with letters and cut-outs has many'advantages. First, anyone without particular-skill may actually make up a good and reliable sign. Second, signs may be made withoil paints and enamels and flat. paint and "ink such as is required with regular stencils. is not essential. Third, all letters or numbers are of. the same size and shape. .In other .words when a package of these letter equipped units is made up, all of the units in the package correspond precisely in size thus bringing about a principle of standardization which isimportant when it comes to supplying an unskilled hand with material for building or fabricating clear'cut signs. It is also evident thatconsiderable time and energy is saved through the use of units of the type shownand described. It is also evident that signs, using the lettered units may be inexpensively made up for use.

There are many companies, golf clubs,county, city and State departments who constantly change signs of a permanent nature. By this it is.meant. that the signs may be used merely for a short period and appropriations may not be available to call. in expensive sign 'paintersyetc. Ordinarily, using the letters provided inthe arrangement herein shown anddescribed any ordinary careful individualmayplace a stick on the .signboard to serve as a base, arrange the letters to make the necessary inscription. For instance .in Eigure 5. we see a sign board with several of the letters matched and lined up according to a chalkline or the like, withthe different units having coacting ends overlapped and matched with thegage lines l2 to make sure that all of said units are not only'properly'lined 'up but preciselyjspaced. one from the: other. In Figure '5 g the gauze has of course been removed. and also 7 the protective coverings;,thesections l6 and I7, have been peeled off- What is more the letters .havebeen plucked out to, expose the 'backunder theisign through. the opening left by the removed letter. Under this arrangement if the background. of the signboard is white, a black 7 paint maybepainted over the letter openingsand thus the letters will be inscribed. n 'G IQ' Wh t cient to clarifythe construction of the invention 4 sign board, after which the frames may be detached. Another'procedure is shown in Figure 6 wherein the lettered units or stencils are lined up and fastened to the sign board the same as i Figure 5; however in Figure 6 we see the letters stuck in place on the sign board and the frames removed and thrown away. Here if the sign board is painted white and the, letters have been previously painted black it will beseen that the necessary contrast of the inscription on the white'background will be obtained.

Revealing briefly the method of making or {fabricating signs, general rules and regulations would appear in the trade thus:

First you lay your sign out by placing the letters or numerals or both on the sign with coversstill intact, using the guide lines for the best spacing. A small stick can be tacked on the sign. to keep your letters in line or a chalkline can be .used.

When youhave your sign the way you want. it, take the first. letter, remove the bottom piece of gauze, place the letter in its proper place and press down hard so that it adheres i its entirety. Then remove the top cover which is done by holding down, on the underlap and. grasping the. overlap, and stripping. it off in a side motion,

then. stripping the underlap the same way holding down. on. the stencil, and pulling from the center out. Do. the same with. the. next letter making sure that you keep your proper margin with. the. guide line.

When. your stencil isv all pasted down and you want to stencil letters, remove the letters by taking-a pointed. knife, catch under the, edge of the letters and. remove. (Fig. 5-.)

When you want to, leavev the letters so as .to

.paintaround them, such as making a sign with white letters on a black background, or if you wish tomake asign with pasted letters, remove the stencil by starting at the end of the line or sentenceandworking toward the front. (-Fig. 6.)

Reviewing matters it will be seen that I have evolved and produced a three-in-one sign fabrias hereinafter claimed.

7 Minor changes in shape, size;.materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in-actual practice solong asno departure is-made from-the invention as-claimed.

Having described theinvention, w-hatis claimed asnew is:

1. As a new articleof. manufacture, a sign fabricating-assemblage comprising asign painting .s-tencilhaving adhesive means on-one face adapted: to be temporarily stuck against a sign board or the like and having an aperture approximately centered in respect to the perimeter edges ofthe stencil, ;said aperture; defining indicia ofa given kind',.said oneface being the reverse .faceof the stencil,.the obverse face of said stencihatoneend only of the. 1'atter,. having a plurality of. spaced parallel lines. designated by distinguishable reference characters and functioningas markersand spacing indicators, said obverse face being otherwise plain and unmarked, and a second stencil, a duplicate of the one defined, the unmarked end of said second stencil overlying the lined end of the first-named stencil with one perimeter edge matchable with a predetermined line, whereby to bring about requisite positioning of the respective symbols on the two stencils and to make sure that the symbols are at proper distances apart, and a covering for the obverse face of each stencil, said covering corresponding in size to the size of the stencil and being temporarily stuck to but detachable from said obverse face so that it may be removed by peeling same loose and detaching it, said covering having a centralized symbol printed thereon and corresponding to the symbol on the coacting stencil and registering with said symbol and further having lines also corresponding to the first-named indicating lines and registering with said lines, said second stencil unit having an identically constructed covering on its obverse face so that, before the stencils are stuck down for painting purposes, the still covered stencils, wholly intact, may be first laid out for sign planning and spacing, using the indicating lines on the respective coacting face coverings.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a sign fabricating unit comprising a stencil having a cutout denoting predetermined indicia and fitted removably in a correspondingly shaped aperture, the reverse face of said stencil having adhesive media to permit the stencil to be temporarily stuck down upon a sign board or the like, said cut-out also having adhesive media on its attachable reverse face to permit the cut-out to be used by itself, or the cut-out to be punched out and the stencilled aperture used, a gauze patch temporarily stuck to said reverse face and maintaining the cut-out partly in place, and a sectional covering for the obverse face of said stencil serving to maintain said cut-out against displacement from and by way of the obverse face, the inner coacting end portions of the respective sections being overlapped and lightly stuck to the stencil and to each other, said sections being readily removed by peeling same loose and detaching them, said sections collectively carrying a printed symbol which corresponds to th outline of the aperture and cut-out embodied in said stencil and said sections further having matching, positioning, and space-measuring lines corresponding precisely to the complemental, yet separately usable, lines on said stencil.

EDWIN H. SCHLEIF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th file of this patent: 4

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 204,803 Dana June 11, 1878 2,089,779 Adair Aug. 10, 1937 2,251,647 Wartha Aug. 5, 1941 2,383,913 Leander Aug. 28, 1948 2,438,828 Sims Mar. 30, 1948 

